


For You

by Morethancupcake



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst with a Happy Ending, Artist Steve Rogers, Fights, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Hurt Tony Stark, Love Confessions, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-28
Updated: 2016-05-28
Packaged: 2018-07-10 19:47:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7003972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morethancupcake/pseuds/Morethancupcake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Tony fixes the text for a long time, wondering what it could mean. Sorry for breaking up with you on your birthday. Sorry for taking your bed. Sorry for not being able to handle you. "</p><p>Tony's birthday doesn't go exactly as planned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For You

**Author's Note:**

> From a prompt I got on tumblr for my birthday :) :
> 
> -Birthday  
> -Mutual Pining
> 
> Twangcat let me pick the pairing, so of course I had to go with Steve and Tony :) Butsomething tells me Clint and Phil will probably follow soon.
> 
> unbeta'ed as usual. Please remember English is not my first language before you decide to KINDLY point out all the typos and mistakes :)

Steve is so mad at him Tony actually sleeps on the couch.

 

They had a few fights before. Hell, most of their friendship is smooth, and warm and amazing, but their fights. They can move mountains, they can tear at the sky. 

But it's the first time Tony is actually scared to go and see Steve.

 

"You know he's going to use you !" He had been so tired, so disappointed in him on the phone. "It's your birthday, Tony. Your friends are here, waiting for you. You shouldn't have to pretend, especially tonight."

"It's a lot of money, Steve." It hurts, because he almost believes it. He knows Steve probably invited people, not a lot of them. Rhodey still somewhere in a desert risking his life. Pepper working too much.

But Clint and Phil, maybe. Tony likes them, and feels like they like him too, maybe enough to have a beer or two with him. With Steve, but with him too. 

"And money is everything to you, is it ?"

 

Tony isn't sure just when he started to love Steve. Maybe from the first time, when they had to talk and pretend to be polite to each other. Maybe later, when Steve had apologized for letting the rumors color his opinion of Tony. Maybe when he had realized Steve was his friend, almost like Rhodey and Pepper, someone he could trust.

Maybe the first time Steve had kissed him.

 

He isn't sure of what they have. He's too scared to ask. 

 

The fight isn't one of their usual fight. Steve is cold, and unforgiving. He doesn't yell, no. He hammers all he has to say, things he probably kept for a while, and all Tony can think about is the party his father is throwing for his birthday, the press and the donators, and how happy he'll have to be. 

Steve is breaking up with him, and he'll have to smile in front of people who hate him on principle.

When everything is over, when Howard will stop pretending to care about him, Steve won't be there for him.

 

The party isn't what he expected. It's only fifty people, almost intimate by Howard's standards. The food is actually things he likes, and he has a few people to talk to. 

He manages to escape after two hours, and goes back to his appartment. He answers a few messages, people from the lab, old friends. Rhodey isn't reachable, and Tony doesn't want to worry him with this. 

Clint actually calls him when he's browsing his choices for dinner, and he answers, a little wary. He shouldn't be. Clint yells his good wishes to him, and then apologizes for Phil.

"A very bad case of food poisoning. I'm sorry guys, but tonight you'll have to do with only me." At Tony's awkward silence, he asks "You're not doing anything for your birthday ? Where's Steve ?"

He isn't sure what the answer is. He isn't sure he wants to think about it.

 

Clint drags him to a karaoke bar, and after a beer or two, it's actually hilarious. They sing, and they laugh at very memorable numbers. Clint keeps him happy, calls a few friends of his, and Tony is glad, he is grateful for Clint's laugh and his awful jokes. 

It's a great birthday, and it's two or three in the morning when he makes it back home. 

Steve is there, sleeping in his bed.

 

And it should be a good thing, it should make him hopeful for something, anything. But Tony knows best than to expect good things.

 

He grabs a pillow and a blanket and gets comfortable on the couch. 

 

\- I am sorry 

 

Tony fixes the text for a long time, wondering what it could mean. Sorry for breaking up with you on your birthday. Sorry for taking your bed. Sorry for not being able to handle you. 

The ringtone stops his train of thoughts.

"You slept on the couch." Steve sounds as tired as Tony feels. His voice is rough, like gravel and he sounds so sad. 

"You were very mad."

"About that." Tony closes his eyes, and burries his face on his pillow. He can hear Steve moving on the bed, it's almost as if they were together. Almost. "I'm sorry. About what I said. I know you're not after your father's money. No matter your reasons, I shouldn't have said... what I said."

"You were angry." Tony sighs. "I can't say no to him, Steve. Not now. Maybe in the future. or now he's paying. For my lab, for my degree, my meds. For everything."

"I know. I'm sorry." Steve sounds small, scared. "I didn't want to say those things. You and I... it's... it's very important to me. I can't..."

"You know it's all for you ?" Steve is suddenly silent, so Tony goes on. "All of it. SI, and the new prototypes, the company. It's all for you. Because years from now, even if we're not together, even if you're not my friend anymore, you'll be an amazing artist. And if me having money... It can help you a little, then it'll be worth it." Tony smiles. "You're shit with people, you won't be nice to sponsor, you'll be the end of your PR company." A chuckle. "You're going to need it, one day." Steve breath is there, steadying him. "And I can't just keep being a rich kid doing nothing, right ? I need to do something, help people. And what we're doing, it's helping people."

"I need you. I always need you. Even when I pretend I don't."

"Yeah ?" 

"I'm sorry I ruined your birthday." Steve moves around, Tony hears the ruffle of the linens. "Please come to bed ?"

And today, for the first time, he doesn't. Even if Steve, waking up, is warm and cuddly. Even if sex with Steve is pretty amazing. 

"What am I to you ?" 

Steve sounds like he's crying.

"You're everything, Tony."

 

They sleep until noon, Steve wrapped around him, his face hiding in Tony's neck. "I love you." he whispers when they start to doze off, too tired to do more than kiss slowly. "I love you and I am sorry."

 

He is drawing when Tony wakes up, the sound of the pencil on paper comforting. They don't talk much, almost shy around each other now. Steve holds his hand on their way to the kitchen, and stays close, always touching him, as if scared to see him disappear.

The coffee machine is just done when he whispers, words clumsy : "It's all for you, too, you know ?" Tony hands him a mug, frowning a little, when he adds : "I have to try, when I'm next to you . You're not scared of anything, you're just the best. I can't let myself be. I need to try, and reach for my dream too. So I can take care of you, one day. So I can be... " Steve kisses his forehead, gentle. "No one ever done anything for me, before. No one ever wanted to just... provide for me." He smiles, eyes sad, and Tony knows he's thinking about his mother, and his grandmother. About Bucky, and his pride. "I think... I think if it was anyone else, it would make me mad, but you... you want to take care of me."

"You want to take care of me too." And because Steve is smiling, his hair still a mess, and a pillow mark on his cheek. Because yesterday was both the best and worst birthday ever. Because when falling asleep Steve had whispered "Mine. You are mine." Because Steve offered him a future, too, Tony smiles and says it.

"I love you."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading ! I hope you liked it :) Kudos and comments make me really happy !
> 
> You can always find me on tumblr :
> 
> http://iwanttopizzamanyou.tumblr.com/post/145071271709/for-you  
>  
> 
> Please remember to go to sleep if you need to, and to drink water :) Take good care of yourself.


End file.
